Part One: The Betrayal
by Foxsword
Summary: This is a story about a Jedi, and what happens in the last few hours of her life. Strange, she thinks, that her murderer would be her best friend. Rated K for violence. Part Two is finally here! So when you're done, go to Part Two: The Redemption
1. The end

**This prologue is really, really short, but I hope you'll read it anyway. Without it, you probably won't think the story is that good. Don't be fooled by the title of the prologue, because it's really only the beginning.  
**

Prologue**The End**

I lay on the ground, gasping for air. All I could hear was the sound of my own breathing, ragged and struggling. Beyond that was only silence. The silence that comes with death. All around me, bodies littered the ground; the bodies of my friends, teachers, and fellow warriors. They had all fought as hard as they could, but it had been of no use. Not against that onslaught. Even though there was no one there, I could hear their screams and cries of pain. Darkness surged all around me. But above that, there was one word that rang in my head. "Why?"

All of a sudden, the silence was disturbed by the sound of footsteps. I painfully lifted my head a little to see down the hall. It was Obi-wan and Yoda. So they had survived. I waited, as they looked at the carnage before them, until they noticed me. Still alive, but just barely.

"Who did this to you?" Obi-wan asked me. His blue-grey eyes, eyes that I had so often seen full to the brim with joy, were now filled with sadness and questioning as he knelt beside me.

I stared at him, my vision already clouding over as I tried to gather the strength to speak. Behind him, I could see Yoda, leaning on his gimer stick, an indescribable look of pain across his wrinkled face. They both looked old and tired.

As for me, I simply felt tired. But I also felt that I was too young to die. How could life, so full of promise, end so soon? As I lay there, my life slowly draining from me, the last couple hours flashed before my eyes. No, I couldn't tell him what had just happened. It would only break his heart. "I-I'm sorry. I can't tell you."

Even those few words caused me to gasp for air. I coughed, and more blood spattered the cold stone floor of the Jedi temple. The temple… It had been such a peaceful place, and now this.

"Meravin, I need to know." Obi-wan again. So persistent. But that's how he was. I should know, because I was one of his best friends. And best friends tell each other everything, right? So I gave in.

It would hurt him, I knew, but there was no doubt that he did need to know. After all, he was probably one of the last Jedi that could right this wrong. The only Jedi that could. But time was running out. Already, my eyelids were growing heavy, and I knew that I was sinking into sleep. A sleep from which there was no awakening. At least, not to this world.

"It was…" I tried to draw another breath, but found it almost impossible. Pain numbed my body, and I could see my vision growing hazy. Everything felt so cold, so grey. I tried again. "It was An…" My eyes closed. I couldn't do any more. My body was no longer functioning, and I knew it was only a matter of seconds before my brain died out, too. So with those last few seconds, I thought.

I thought about what I had done in my life. All the good things I had done, and all the bad things, too. Did they make a difference?

I thought about all my relationships: my friends, mentors, enemies, and anyone who had ever influenced my life, which was now about to end.

But most of all, I thought about my murderer.

And my friend.

Anakin Skywalker.


	2. The Beginning

PrologueChapter One**The Beginning**

I woke up with a start. My breath was coming in ragged gasps, my fists were clenched, and my face was drenched in sweat. Sitting up, I tried to calm my racing heart, which felt like it was about to explode. I breathed in and out, in and out, inhaling the cool night air that wafted through the open window in my room. My eyes darted around the dark interior and over the spartan furnishings of the room, as if expecting a rancor to suddenly jump out of the shadows and devour me. But nothing was there.

Pale moonlight crept in from an open window, bringing along with it a sense of peace and calm. The cool night air wafted through the room, whispering soft nothings in my ears. The sound of the rain outside played a sweet melody on the roof.

As my breathing started to slow back down to something around normal, I thought about the dream that had woken me up in such a disturbing manner. But, like most dreams, it eluded me. So I lay back down, and tried to find it among my jumbled thoughts.

I stumbled across one of my thoughts along the way. _Master Obi-wan is going to talk to the Council tomorrow about finding me a new Master. _After the death of Master Denwei two months ago, life had fallen apart for me. I was still a month or two away from becoming a Knight, and I had not been prepared to lose my Master on that mission to Casa-Nemoidia. We had been family, we two. But now she was one with the Force. In a way, I was happy for her. She was now free. But there was still me to worry about.

The mission had been serious enough to need two teams: myself, Master Denwei, Anakin, and Master Obi-wan. My mind went back to the day we landed on the planet.

I had been staring out of the window of the ship, wondering what the mission was going to be like and playing with my Padawan braid, when I overheard Master Denwei talking to Obi-wan in hushed tones. If I focused, I could just barely hear what they were saying. I wasn't normally prone to eavesdropping, but when I heard my name, I knew I had to listen in.

"…I don't want to worry Meravin," she was whispering, "but I've been sensing something wrong with this whole trip. Now don't get excited," she said, seeing Obi-wan stiffen. "Nothing's gone wrong yet. It may be nothing, but I have this sense of foreboding. Like I told you, it may be nothing, but…"

_Yeah, right_, I thought. Master Denwei's sense of the Force was greater than many in the Temple. She was never wrong about these things. I began to listen more closely. Whatever concerned Master Denwei concerned me.

"…but if anything happens to me, I want you to take care of Meravin, you understand?"

"What do you mean?" Obi-wan asked anxiously. "It sounds like you think you're going to die."

I stiffened involuntarily. Master Denwei, dying? That was impossible.

Anakin noticed my sudden movement, and said, in a tell-tale voice, "Meravin, why are you staring at Master Obi-wan like that?"

I shot him a death glare. He simply grinned.

But, as it turned out, Denwei's premonitions had been correct. She was killed in a sudden ambush by a rebel party on that mission. Obi-wan himself barely escaped death, and it had been Anakin that had gotten all of us out of the danger. Well, almost all of us.

As soon as my Master was gone, and Obi-wan was well enough, he took me under his wing, and treated me as if I were his own Padawan: lecturing and rebuking me as much as he did Anakin, but always looking out for me as well.

Anakin, at first, had acted hostile toward me. He felt that I was stealing his Master right out from under his nose. Everytime I did something right, he would try to downplay it, and I in turn would tease him to no end. But we soon grew to be good friends, and in that short amount of time, we became like siblings: fighting and arguing like any sibling would. Anakin treated me like a younger sister, annoying and below him, but his responsibility. In fact, it wasn't unusual for other students to see me going to Anakin for help with something. We didn't get to see each other too often, on account of his many missions, but…

All of a sudden, the dream came back to me. The thought of Anakin had triggered it. Everything rushed back into my head: the pit, falling into blackness, Anakin's face looking down at me with a strangely pleased look on his face.

None of it made any sense. I slowed myself down and thought about it from beginning to end:

I had been standing in the middle of nowhere, looking down over the edge of a dark pit that, seemingly, went on forever. All at once, I was filled with fear, and wanted to move away from it, but before I could, someone pushed me in from behind. As I fell, I saw Anakin looking down at me, a smile on his face. But it wasn't one of his more playful grins; it was a leer, an almost ghastly smirk, as if he was extremely pleased with his crime. I continued to fall through blackness, still keeping my eyes on the mouth of the pit, which was now only a tiny pinpoint of light. That was when I woke up.

Even thinking about it made me shudder. With that image in mind, there was no way I'd be able to sleep. I stared out of the window at the skyline of Coruscant, bright against the black sky. Air taxis, buses, and private vehicles zoomed in and out among the tall buildings, even in the middle of the night.

I sat up on my bed and tried to meditate, concentrating on the ebb and flow of the Force. Yet still, I could not sleep. The air was filled with a sense of foreboding, of what I did not know.

I decided to get up and take a walk through the Jedi Temple. That should calm me down, I thought. I stood up slowly and stretched, breathing in the clean air of my room. Walking across the cold stone floor in my bare feet to the cabinet that held my clothes, I got dressed, and went to the bathroom to splash water on my face. As I finished and dried my face with a towel, I caught sight of my face in the mirror. "Man, you don't look to good," I told my reflection.

I was a Chalactan, meaning I looked like almost completely Human, except for certain gold markings on my forehead. My short black hair was tousled and tangled from tossing and turning in my sleep. My forest green eyes stared tiredly back at me under half-open eyelids. And was it my imagination, or did I see dark rings under them? My cheeks looked flushed, as if I had just returned from a trip to Hoth in the middle of a snowstorm.

I quickly touched my forehead to see if I had a fever, but it felt as normal as it had ever been.

Having finished my close inspection, I pulled on my boots over my small feet and pressed the button to open the door leading outside. It slid open with a quiet hiss, and I stepped out.

Immediately, I sensed that something was not right. My ears were picking up distant, but very strange sounds. Sounds that definitely did not belong in the Temple.


	3. The Escape

PrologueChapter Two**The Escape**

It was the sound of footsteps that woke me. That in itself was not unusual. There were other beings in the temple who found peace in walking. But these footsteps were anything but peaceful. In fact, they seemed to be extra loud, as if the owners wanted to announce their presence. Also, they had a regular and synchronized beat.

I reached out with the Force. There were many of them, but all seemed very alike. I couldn't feel any particular feeling about any but one. There was one menacing presence, unlike anything I had ever felt before. It was filled with the Dark Side; I could feel the hate and malice that flowed through the being's veins. Yet somehow, it felt strangely familiar.

There was no mistaking the intent to kill. The Jedi temple was being attacked. And those others, with the dark side were…clones?

But how could that be? Clones were used exclusively for government purposes. And the government certainly wouldn't…

There was no time to lose. I quickly stole out of my room and to the door of my neighbor's, Jenyin. He was probably still asleep, and no sound would wake him up short of a blaster rifle going off in his ear. So I reached out with the Force, letting him know of the extreme urgency of the situation.

A couple minutes later, the door opened, and he appeared, fully dressed and ready to go. Well, not quite ready. His fiery blue eyes, although alert, were still half-closed, and his short black hair, instead of casting a shadow over his eyes like it normally did, stuck out all over the place. His body, normally half a head taller than mine, was slouched over like a being who had just woken up and wanted to go back to sleep. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"The temple's being attacked," I answered in a rush. "Quick, you have to get - "

"Whoa, hold on. Are you sure of this, Meraven?" His speech was slightly slurred from tiredness.

"Yes. Can't you feel it? There are clones out there - and one other. I'm getting a huge Dark Side reading from him."

Jenyin's face read shock, then action. "We need to get as many people up and out of here as we can."

"Yes, but how?" I asked. "We can't just go around knocking on people's doors…wait. Do you know which room Prymax is in?"

Jenyin thought for a minute, and then nodded. "Yeah, but how does he help?'

"We send a Force warning. A big one, strong enough to wake up everyone in this wing. But we need Prymax's help; he's better at reaching out with the Force than we are. He _is _a Mandalorian and a Kiffar, after all."

"Good idea, but what if this Dark Side person feels it, too?" Jenyin looked at me. Neither of us had ever tackled a being with the Dark Side, and neither of us wanted to, either.

"That's a chance we'll have to take. We can try to make the warning reach only to those in this wing, but it's still risky. You go and get-"

"Did someone say they needed me?" A voice came from the end of the hallway. I turned around, and saw him.

In the dim light, Prymax Atin's features were hard to make out. At first, all I could see was the thin blue line running across his face from one cheekbone to the other, and the blue light from the lamps reflecting off his dark hair. His composure was completely relaxed, and his powerful hands were shoved into his pockets. He took his time walking over to us in his slow gait, as if he was saving his energy for emergencies. But his dark eyes gleamed with excitement under the half-closed lids.

"Prymax, the temple's being attacked-" I began.

"I noticed. It's really troublesome, isn't it?" 'Troublesome' was Prymax's trademark word.

"Yes," Jenyin answered. "We need to-"

"-send a force warning. And you need my help," Prymax finished.

I was growing exasperated with his cutting in. "So will you help us or not?"

"Under normal circumstances, I would say no, it's too troublesome; but I guess it's necessary."

We all knew how the procedure went, and did it without any prompting or instruction, but we could all feel Prymax's commanding presence over it all. From the moment he had entered the room, he was in charge. We all linked hands and connected to each other with the Force. I reached out and felt first Jenyin's fiery presence, and then Prymax's cool, mysterious one. We stood there a minute, and then, as one, began to reach out to the other Jedi. In a matter of seconds, doors came open, and people began to gather in our hallway until we had about fifteen to twenty beings – all those in our wing. None of them were Jedi Knights yet; some had just become Padawans. A few apprentices looked confused, but all of the Jedi were ready.

"Listen, everyone," I said. "The Temple is being attacked by a small army of clones; why, I don't know. But the main thing is to get as many people as possible out of here alive."

"Yes, but how?" asked one Twi'lek, by the name of Reyzeb Wara, who also happened to be one of my friends.

"I have a plan. Does everyone have aqua-breathers?"

Every head nodded.

"Then follow me." Then, as an afterthought: "We're going to the Room of a Thousand Fountains." I had already walked briskly to the end of the hall when Prymax called out, stopping me. "Wait," he said. "We need to make sure we won't be vulnerable to attack." He turned to face the others, muttering under his breath "This is so troublesome, getting everyone in order. Take one away from his Master, and he's as helpless as a baby." Then, in a louder voice, he addressed them: "Form a circle, everyone facing outwards with lightsabers drawn. Don't activate them until needed; the noise and glow would give us away." He muttered under his breath, "And fighting is so troublesome." He raised his voice again. "If, on the way, we find wounded or disabled Jedi, we're going to put them in the middle of the ring."

"Good thing you thought of that," I whispered to him, as the group formed a ring.

"_Shah_, if I didn't, who would have? Get to the front: we need you to show them where to go." Prymax gestured towards the section of the ring facing the door. He seemed to be the only one who could keep cool in such a situation. But it might just have been his laziness.

"Right. Reyzeb, you come with me to the front."

"Why?" the Twi'lek asked. The silver bands on her brain-tails reflected the light for a second when she cocked her head to the side.

"Because," I said through clenched teeth, trying to be patient, "we are going to escape through the water system, and only you remember the way out."

"Oh, okay then." Reyzeb gave a quick shrug, and took her place beside me.

"Alright, people, let's move out!"


	4. Stopped in My Tracks

PrologueChapter Three**Stopped in My Tracks**

The Jedi moved quickly and silently out of the hall and into the open area between their quarters and the gardens, where the Room of a Thousand Fountains was. From here we were able to see the disastrous carnage that had been wreaked.

I stopped dead. The clone army had passed through here recently, as was evident by a few people still in the last throes of death. Bodies of Jedi and clones alike were strewn all over the stone floors. But the clones had done their job well. Jedi masters, knights, padawans…none had managed to survive the onslaught. In the center of the carnage, there was a ring of fallen younglings. They, too, had been trying to escape, perhaps, but they had been mowed down by the clones. Near them were several of their caretakers, or minders, who had apparently died trying to protect them. One of the minders – I recognized him as Ali-Alann - had been trying to shield a youngling with his body; they had both been killed with the same shot.

Tears sprang to my eyes, and I quickly brushed the back of my hand against my face. Behind me, Prymax elbowed me sharply, reminding me to get on with it. Now was not the time to break down and cry. But despite his still passive look, I could see he wasn't unmoved by the sight. In fact, there was hardly a face among us that could claim to be completely devoid of emotion. Reyzeb looked as if she was on the edge of a nervous breakdown, and I could hear someone in the back sobbing.

Prymax was looking at the beginning of the battlefield, where a line of senior padawans and knights had attempted to hold off the army. Dead clones were piled high before their motionless forms. Prymax suddenly leapt from his place and landed next to one of the bodies. As he knelt down to examine the corpse, I heard his curse from where the rest of us were standing. He stood, and walked back to us.

"What is it?" I asked. His formerly impassive face was now shaken, and he looked worried. He glanced at me and said curtly, "That was Master Drallig. Killed by a lightsaber wound to the left shoulder. It pierced his heart."

Gasps came from the others around us. A lightsaber wound? Surely not. Master Drallig was the order's master swordsman. And the enemy didn't use lightsabers. Did they?

I started to ask, "Are you sur-"

"Yes."

Still, we moved on doggedly, picking our way quickly and quietly through the dead bodies. Now everything was completely quiet, as silent as a tomb. The silence became oppressive, even unnerving, as I began walking faster and faster. My mind was filled with questions. _Why is this happening? How will we get out of this? And even if we do, what will we do then?_

Thankfully, we reached the cover of the gardens surrounding the Room of a Thousand Fountains. The lush green trees and other vegetation would hide us until we reached the pools. We had already gotten past the hardest part of the trip without losing a single person. Or so I thought.

"Wait a minute," I heard Jenyin say from somewhere near the back. "Where's Reyzeb?"

I turned sharply, "She's right-" I stopped mid-sentence and felt my stomach drop as I stared blankly at the empty air. "Where is she?"

I broke from my place in the circle, running to the edge of the gardens, and scanned the area we had just come through. There she was, kneeling beside one of the dead bodies. Her shoulders were shaking uncontrollably; otherwise, she remained motionless.

"I'll run back and get her," I said, already moving. At the same time, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

I whirled around. It was Prymax. "What are you doing?"

"It's no use," he said. "Reyzeb's in a state of shock; her mind's shattered."

"What do you mean, shattered?"

Prymax sighed in exasperation. "Look at her. She's too upset to even think. Her brain can't handle everything that's going on. She won't understand anything you say, and she won't be able to recover."

I stood there, shocked by his words. "You're saying she can't be saved?"

"She's beyond saving," came the answer.

"How do you know all this?" I asked, incredulous.

"I've seen it before." His tone was matter-of-fact, but his eyes had that faraway look, as if he was remembering something from a long time ago.

I took a deep breath and resisted the urge to lash out at him. "Well, let me tell you something. _No one_ is beyond saving. No one."

We glared at each other for what seemed like hours.

"I'm not going to let my friend get killed out there." I yanked my arm out of his grip and deliberately walked away.

Kneeling beside Reyzeb, though, I could see that Prymax knew what he was talking about. Her eyes, normally sparkling with life, had taken on a dull sheen. She didn't even blink when I touched her shoulder. But she managed to say one thing; "They're gone."

"I know," I replied, unable to think of anything else to say. After a long, terrible silence, I continued, "They are one with the Force now. But for us…we have to move on, alright?"

No answer.

I tried to remember what Obi-wan had said to me after my master had died. But the words were jumbled and confused in my mind. And through that confusion, I could still feel the reality of those two words: "They're gone." It was true. And I could do nothing to change them. Nothing I said could soften that blow.

"Look, Reyzeb, there's no good in sitting here until we get shot," came a familiar voice. I turned my head and saw Prymax standing behind me. "Do you think your master would want that?" he continued.

The end of one of Reyzeb's brain-tails twitched. I had known her long enough to know that this was a sign of agitation. "Go on," I whispered to Prymax.

"You say something," he whispered back.

"What would your master say if he saw you like this?" I asked, hoping for a response.

None came, but then the end of her _other _brain-tail twitched.

Suddenly, I heard Jenyin scream, "Meraven, behind you!"

I saw a whirl of turquoise blue and a brief flash of silver. I heard a clone yell as he was struck by his own shot.

"Well, that was quick," I said to Reyzeb, who was now standing, lightsaber drawn, the fire back in her eyes.

"Fierfek," Prymax grinned. "Very. Now let's get a move on, before we're found out again." The three of us ran back to the group, waiting for us behind the ferns and shrubbery.

A few more minutes of stepping through what seemed like an endless jungle of foliage, and we reached the pool. Reyzeb, her A99 aquata breather already in her mouth, dove in with hardly a splash. I was next, but just before I dove in, I heard Prymax mutter through his breather, "Great, now we all have to get wet. This is so trouble-"

I already knew what he was going to say after that, so I went into the water. It was difficult, swimming with all your clothes on, but it wasn't impossible. I motioned for the others to follow Reyzeb, who was already disappearing into the darker depths of the water. I waited till the last person had made his way past me before following.

At the bottom, Reyzeb lifted up a grate, and motioned for us to get inside. This was the water tunnel that fed the pool. From here, you could easily get lost in the maze of tubes that led to the other pools, to the plumbing for showers and sinks, and, finally, outside. Reyzeb and I had discovered these about a year ago, and since then, we had perfected our knowledge of the tunnels and were used to swimming with little elbow room. The others, however, had more difficulty. We had to slow down a bit, making only tiny kicks with our feet. Turning into a side tunnel was difficult, too. Jenyin, who was taller than most of us, had the most difficulty bending his long body to at a right angle and then swimming through. But, eventually, we all made it to the end, without anyone getting stuck. Thankfully, no one had claustrophobia.

The tube emptied out into a much bigger pool, not meant for swimming. Next to this was the hangar, and beyond that, freedom. The only obstacle left was the clones left to guard it.


	5. The Way of the Jedi

PrologueChapter FourThe Way of the Jedi

As soon as we surfaced and saw the clones guarding the hangar, Prymax turned and looked at me with a dry expression that said, "I guess you forgot about those?"

I gave him a half-hearted shrug. Alright, I had overlooked them, but it wouldn't be hard to take them out. There were only four – no, a few more just stepped out of the hangar – eight clones, and we had the element of surprise on our side-

Suddenly, we heard a tell-tale splash as one of the younger padawans surfaced a little too loudly. _Alright, forget the element of surprise._ All eight clones simultaneously turned their heads towards the noise. One look told them all they needed to know; they opened fire.

Immediately I could tell the situation was dire. Treading water while wielding a lightsaber, which could be rendered useless if touched to the water, was tricky. Only a number of the older padawans could manage to deflect fire. Almost automatically a ring formed, with those who couldn't defend themselves on the inside, and those who could surrounding them. But even so, our losses were heavy. I heard the whine of a blaster bolt, a groan, and then a small splash as someone behind me was hit. Every once in a while, there would be a hiss and a crackle, and someone's lightsaber would short out. Prymax was everywhere at once, deflecting each blast, but even he was getting drained. My legs couldn't hold out much longer. Jenyin looked almost ready to pass out; his orange lightsaber had already touched water, and now he had to dodge left and right to avoid blaster fire.

Suddenly, I saw Prymax shut down his lightsaber and close his eyes. Besides the constant movement of his feet treading the water, he remained motionless. I didn't know what he was doing, but I moved in to cover him, motioning for Reyzeb to do the same. Whatever he was doing had to work; if it could not save us, nothing would. Without the aid of his lightsaber, three more of the younger Jedi were killed. With each dying scream, his jaw clenched and his face tightened. But his look of concentration never faltered, and I felt him reach out slowly with Force, sending thin tendrils of power snaking towards the clones. The amount of control the Kiffar was using was incredible, and I winced at the thought of how much this would cost him. His body was starting to tremble with exertion, and his breath came in gasps. Beads of sweat stood out on his forehead. Slowly, carefully, the invisible fingers came closer and closer to the clones.

Suddenly, one of the clone's blasters exploded, taking the trooper's hands with it. The man screamed and fell to his knees, holding up what was left of his arms. The others were too absorbed to really notice, but as they tried to fire again, their blasters exploded as well, killing or maiming them. The last clone, realizing what was happening and knowing that all was lost, determined to take out as many of the enemy as possible; he threw down his weapon and pulled out a thermal detonator. He thumbed the activation switch, and it exploded.

The explosion lit up the whole room in blinding light, and the shock wave took what little remained of my breath out of me. The deafening boom caused the water to ripple violently outwards, knocking us over into the water. Then it was over.

One by one, heads popped out of the water, gasping for air. I felt someone from behind me brush my arm lightly. _Prymax!_ I thought. I went back underwater and, with what little strength I had, pulled Prymax, half dead from exertion, out of the water.

Still conscious, he opened his eyes and tried weakly to push me away. "I can manage by myself," he whispered.

I would have laughed if I hadn't been so tired. "Jenyin," I called. "Help me with Prymax. He's heavier than a bantha." With Jenyin's help, I managed to have just enough strength to climb up the ladder and onto dry ground. By that time, Prymax was able to summon up enough energy to get up the ladder by himself.

"Get into a vehicle of some kind," I panted, still out of breath. My hand shook as it pointed toward the dark hangar. "We don't have much time. The amount of noise we made was-"

"Regrettable, and troublesome," Prymax cut in. He looked haggard and his wet, bedraggled hair gave him a fierce look. Though obviously exhausted, he had regained his composure and was taking charge, rapping out orders. "Once we're out of the temple, we'll be all on our own, at least for a while. So, older padawans, pair up with some younger ones of the same or similar species. You can pretend to be siblings or family friends or something." There was a slight scuffle as people rearranged themselves.

"And I need those of you who have padawan braids to get rid of them," he added as an afterthought. Pulling my wet hair back from my eyes, I noticed he had already done so; the only evidence of his formerly long black braid was a portion of his hair that was unnaturally wavy, and singed at the bottom. He had also pulled out his pant legs from inside his boots to cover them, and tucked in his robe to look like a shirt.

Jenyin protested, "But we can't until we become-"

"Jedi, I know." Prymax's voice seemed to soften slightly. "But the old age of the Jedi is gone. Maybe even the way of the Jedi is gone. We can't afford to be Jedi anymore."

This caused murmurs of disapproval from the group. Abandon the way of the Jedi, just because it was illegal? It was like betraying one's own family.

"Listen guys," I stepped in front of Prymax. "We can still be Jedi. In our hearts and in our minds, we'll always be Jedi. The outside stuff is unimportant. It's our actions that show who we are; by helping others, we are following the Jedi way. And we can pursue it without lightsabers, braids, or anything like that. So I say we follow Prymax." And with that, I took out my lightsaber, cut off my braid, and placed it in my pocket.

The rest, seeing that I was willing, followed the example. And after that, it would be a simple matter of drying off and buying new clothes to fit in.

But it seemed strange not having the braid there. In the light of what Prymax had said, everything seemed strange. Leaving the Temple, something that we had done hundreds of times before, now became very difficult. I had never known a home other than the Temple, and knowing that I was going away forever made me very reluctant to depart. Leaving the Temple was like leaving a part of my life. All the same, I was forcing myself to walk away from it.

The hangar was small and only dimly lit, giving the impression of a dark tunnel. I was going from a bright, open space, into a black passageway, unsure of whether I would ever be able to go back. The picture fit my mood perfectly. Squaring my shoulders, I turned my back to the light, and walked slowly into the hangar behind the rest.

Suddenly, I froze. I had felt that menacing presence before, faintly and from afar, but now it was coming in alarming volumes. It sent chills up my spine, and I shuddered involuntarily. Whoever it was was close behind us, and getting nearer with each passing second.

The others felt it, too, and turned around to face the enemy. Jenyin's hand was already on his lightsaber, and his muscles were tense with anticipation. In the half-light, Prymax's eyes glowed like lanterns, the way they always did before a fight. Only he wouldn't be the one fighting this time. He was too exhausted from defeating the clones. This battle was to be mine alone.

"Prymax, take the others and leave," I heard myself shout. Whirling around to face whatever was coming, I said over my shoulder, "I'll take care of this."

"You mean you'll willingly let yourself die to give us a few more seconds to escape," he retorted. "It's unreasonable. Get over here. I'll last longer."

I didn't move.

"Now."

Still nothing.

"_Shab_, troublesome woman… I'll make it an order!"

I stayed where I was. But it wasn't stubbornness that held me there. No, it was something quite different.


	6. Battle of Wits

PrologueChapter FiveThe Prophecy

It was him.

For a moment I was speechless. My mouth went dry. Then, haltingly, the sounds came out. "Anakin?" It was more of a statement of disbelief than a questioning greeting. I couldn't bring myself to accept it. But it was true.

The dark figure before me was Anakin Skywalker. One piercing, rage-filled look from underneath his hood was all I needed to know.

My friend had turned to the dark side.  
Anakin, the Chosen One, had turned to the dark side. It was impossible. He was supposed to bring balance to the Force! And now this.

My mind numb with shock, I barely noticed that Anakin had activated his lightsaber. Dimly I heard Reyzeb scream a warning.

But I just stared into space, stunned into silence. Then, at the last second, when he was nearly upon me, my danger instincts kicked in. My eyes came back into focus, and I somersaulted out of the way, activating my own weapon in the process.

At the first clash of lightsaber on lightsaber, I staggered back and had to force-leap away from him. The force of his blow was just too strong. I could feel the anger powering him; he was _using_ it to gain an advantage, something only a Sith would do. That was the final piece of evidence I needed to convince me that the Anakin I knew was gone. Knowing this would make fighting my former friend a little easier.

Now the fighting began in earnest. We engaged again, this time with lighter blows and thrusts. All this time, I was gauging his power and how best to prolong the battle and give the others time to escape. I wouldn't be able to give them much time.

Then I realized that I hadn't heard any sounds from the rest of the Jedi. I strained my ears, but all I could hear were the buzz and crash of lightsabers. I was so intent on listening that I just barely managed to block another one of Anakin's moves, which had been intended to slice cleanly through my head.

Now we were pushing against each other, each trying to make the opponent give way. Assessing the situation, I knew in this position, I would not be able to hold out long against Anakin, who was both taller and stronger than I was. Somehow, I would have to break this standoff. My voice was strained as I called out to my friends behind me, "Go now, while there's still time!"

Anakin's eyes suddenly moved from mine to see the Jedi behind me, and his mouth twisted into a sardonic smile as his eyes returned to mine. In the blue light shed by our lightsabers, his face took on a cold, impersonal look, but behind the mask of his face, he was plotting his next move. The gleam in his eyes sent a shudder down my spine. It was as though he were separating himself from his fellow Jedi; he did not know us now as friends, or even beings. We were nothing but moving targets, who lived so that he could destroy us.

We stood there for a few more tense seconds, eye to eye in the blue glare. Then, without warning, Anakin's lightsaber moved, too quickly for my eyes to see. At the same time, anticipating that he was going to do something, but not knowing what, I jumped back.

At first, I couldn't tell what had happened. I wasn't feeling any pain, and my head was clear. I was still holding my…lightsaber.

It was then that I realized I couldn't feel my lightsaber. In fact, I couldn't feel my hand at all. I looked down and stared in horror at the bloody stump where my right hand used to be. Then I started to feel pain, wave after wave of nauseating pain shooting up my arm.

My knees hit the floor as I clutched my bloodied arm with my good hand. I clenched my teeth against the hurt, but it could not completely silence my cry of pain. It was a struggle not to surrender and black out altogether.

A noise behind me caused me to turn my head. I saw two airspeeders, no doubt occupied by Jedi, lift off the ground. As they sped toward the exit, I felt movement behind me. Just as the two speeders passed through the opening of the hangar, I felt a tremendous surge in the force, so filled with hate and bloodlust that it caused me to feel dizzy. One of the speeders was forcibly smashed into the other, causing them both to explode in flames. I felt several more Jedi deaths in the force.

I wasn't sure whether it was the blinding glare of the explosion or my friends' deaths that caused my eyes to water. Turning back to Anakin, his expression was one of sickening satisfaction. He looked like a bounty hunter who had just killed his target. After all, wasn't that what we were? But his grim smile faded when he saw my horrified look.

"How could you?" I whispered.

He didn't say a word. For a moment, I could sense he was struggling internally. The muscles in his face twitched, but then relaxed again into a cold mask. His only reply was to stretch out his fingers toward me.

It was only when I felt constricting pressure on my throat that I understood the meaning of this gesture. Slowly, I felt myself lifted off the floor as my good hand clutched my throat. The other one hung limp at my side, useless. Panic swept over me as my vision became clouded. I was gasping for air, completely helpless as Anakin slowly choked me to death.

Faintly I heard someone behind me yell, "Let go of her!"

Anakin's force-grip on my throat only tightened in response. His eyes didn't even shift to see who it was that had made so bold a command.

I heard the buzz as a lightsaber somewhere behind me was activated, and then the voice again, this time with more authority; "Let her go!"

Anakin obeyed, but not in the way the owner of the voice had expected him to. I felt my body being flung through the air, my side slamming into something that jutted out – the wing of a speeder? my mind thought vaguely – and then falling to the ground with a sickening thud.

From where I lay on the floor, I could watch as the battle unfolded. The surviving Jedi - Prymax, Reyzeb, Jenyin, and a fourth padawan in dark brown robes - stood with lightsabers activated and ready. In the glow of their lightsabers I could see their faces. Prymax, an impassive mask of cold resolve; Reyzeb, sheer terror in her eyes, but with a calm face as she saw her fate written in the yellow eyes of the Chosen One; and Jenyin, a sheen of sweat over his angry features. The fourth merely looked scared. Anakin crossed the two lightsabers – one of them mine - in front of him, letting them crackle and hiss as he held them up. The moment seemed frozen.

Unending.

Then suddenly the moment was shattered as the cloaked figure that was Anakin rushed forward, blurring in my vision; he moved so fast. He rushed straight for Reyzeb, as she raised her lightsaber in a futile attempt to guard. Jenyin leapt in front of her and blocked the downward stroke firmly. The blow staggered him, and he stumbled. Then Anakin's booted foot smashed into his chest, sending him flying into Reyzeb and the two collapsed in a heap near the hangar door.

The padawan sprang forward to engage Anakin. Without even turning to look, Anakin parried the overhand strike and then spun around in a savage slash that rent the boy in two. As the smoking remains hit the floor, Anakin turned to Prymax.

The Kiffar was looking at Anakin with eyes of ice. The blue tattoo across his face seemed to glow in the low light of the hangar. Strands of hair that had come loose from his ponytail stuck to his face and a bead of sweat dripped from his nose.

Anakin thumbed off my lightsaber and threw it to the side. Prymax raised his green blade over his head in a Djem So ready stance. Anakin merely let his hang loose by his side.

They were tense, ready to spring, searching each other's eyes for a clue, anything to give away the next move. Prymax was known for his minute planning of all his battles, and I could see the wheels turning in his head. He had something up his sleeve, I knew it. We both knew he couldn't defeat Anakin in a physical duel, or a force duel, but mentally, Prymax was far superior to even the Chosen One. I felt him reach out into the force, and his tattoo actually glowed this time. I felt him as he reached out into Anakin's mind and then, as their eyes remain locked, Prymax's flared the same blue as his scar-like tattoo. Then he cast a glance about the room, and I felt his readiness in the Force. Anakin snarled as he felt confidence grow in his opponent and he readied himself for a spring. They leapt toward each other at the exact same instant. They met in midair, and traded several lightning fast blows before landing and springing away. I was shocked. Prymax had actually managed to match Anakin Skywalker in a fair trade of blows. Was there a Kiffar secret that he had used as a trump card?

They faced each other again, and then Anakin rushed at Prymax in a blur of speed, his blue lightsaber spinning in a circle so fast that it seemed to be a solid disc. There was a blinding flash, and the screeching sound of energy blades contacting.

When my vision cleared, I couldn't believe my eyes. Amidst the shower of sparks, Prymax stood, one arm behind his back, the other holding his lightsaber, locked against Anakin's vicious overhand slash. The Kiffar's eyes were closed. I could feel Anakin's shock and fear in the force.

Prymax smiled slightly, and then launched on the offensive. He drove Anakin back in a flurry of elegant, one-handed stabs, each one Anakin barely managing to block. I'd never seen anyone fight so smoothly. Prymax had given himself over to the force, and was actually driving the Chosen One backwards. I stared in awe. Prymax's face was serene as he twirled his blade around to slice at Anakin's legs, then, as it was deflected, spinning it up to slash at his face, and then whirling around to stab directly at Anakin's chest. Skywalker had no choice but to leap back.

Prymax halted his advance. Now I could see his exhaustion. It was his greatest weakness. He had excellent control over the force, his own body, and his mind; however, he lacked one thing. Stamina. He was breathing hard, and his arm trembled. He took up a more defensive, two-handed stance, and waited.

Now it was Anakin's turn. I felt my heart sink. My friend had tried his best, and failed. Now Anakin would triumph. The Chosen One smiled, a horrible, terrifyingly happy smile, and lunged. My eyes could barely follow their blades and Anakin drove Prymax back in a series of brilliant flashes, each strike stronger than before. The blue and green lights cast dancing shadows on the walls, and the noise echoed around the hangar. Prymax could handle no more. They had reached the doorway of the hangar, and he stood with his back to the wind, and a drop that would lead to his death, kilometers below. He was barely managing to deflect Anakin's blows, each parry slower than the last. Suddenly, as Anakin readied himself for the final stroke, Prymax shut of his lightsaber and threw it into Anakin's face. The unorthodox attack caught him off guard, and the metal cylinder smashed into the bridge of his nose, causing him to stumble back. It clattered to the deck and rolled away. Prymax held out his hands and two DC-15s blasters flew through from the bay of a nearby LAAT/I gunship. He pointed them at Skywalker, and squeezed both triggers. Blue plasma spat from the muzzles as Prymax held the firing studs down in full automatic. Anakin was barely managing to deflect the bolts, let alone aim them back at Prymax. He walked forward, still firing as he drove Anakin back towards the exit again. A bolt singed Prymax's leg but he didn't flinch. Closer and closer to the doorway they came. Once through there was a balcony that was over the bottom floor of the Jedi Temple, and it was at a height that would be fatal for anyone to fall. I saw Prymax's plan; he'd drive Anakin right off the edge to his death. Hope filled me once more; perhaps Prymax could win after all.

Suddenly, right as Anakin reach the railing, he stopped. He batted the bolts away faster than ever, letting his fear, anger, and hatred feed the force. Prymax poured the plasma in, hoping to blast him away.

One of the ammo counters on his blasters clicked down to zero, and then the other. Prymax lowered the overheated blasters, the barrels smoking. He dropped them and rushed forward, something in his hand. My heart stopped when I saw it. A thermal detonator. He was planning to kill the both of them as a last resort.

He armed the detonator, and lunged at Anakin, arm extended as if to shove the bomb into his enemy's chest. I closed my eyes. The explosion shook the floor and the heat washed over me.

When I opened my eyes again, I saw the end. Anakin still stood, holding Prymax's arm. The detonator must have exploded in midair as Anakin sidestepped. Prymax looked up at the Chosen One, defeat in his eyes. Anakin smiled. Then he chuckled softly. Then he threw his head back and laughed triumphantly.

He had won. I felt his confidence in the force, and my heart sank.

It was over. Skywalker raised his blue blade over his head, ready to finish the Kiffar. He started to swing.

Suddenly, Prymax's face changed. He appeared to be…a woman. She looked older, tired, and a little sad. She smiled.

Anakin froze.

What happened next happened so fast I could barely register it. Prymax leapt into action; he swept Anakin's feet out from underneath him with a kick, the same move bringing him to his feet. As Anakin fell, Prymax held out both hands, and I felt his exertion in the force. An invisible wave of power blasted the Chosen One into the railings, through them and out into the air. He screamed once and then fell.


	7. Re’turcye mhi

PrologueChapter Six

Prymax sank to his knees. His breath came in short gasps, and his whole body shook from exertion. Beads of sweat stood out on his forehead.

There was a groan and Jenyin sat up, holding his chest. Taking in the whole scene instantly, he left the still unconscious Reyzeb where she was and limped hastily over to Prymax. At his touch the Kiffar's eyes opened, and he got to his feet stiffly. He was pale, and, strangely, his tattoo seemed that way as well. He summoned his lightsaber to him and clipped it onto his belt, then looked over at me.

I gave him a weak smile. "All hail the conquering hero-" I joked, and then broke off, coughing up blood.

Jenyin was at my side in an instant, his own pain forgotten, and concern written all over his face. A moment later, Prymax joined him.

"You guys should go," I said, wiping the blood from my mouth. "Anakin's fall won't delay him long. He'll be back any minute now."

Jenyin immediately swung into action; he slung my arm over his shoulder so he could pick me up more easily. As he tried to help me up, repeated jolts of pain shot down my spine.

"Jenyin," – I gasped as my aching body continued to protest – "what are you trying to do?"

"Take you to the ship, of course," he replied, "So we can blast out of here."

I would have laughed outright if this hadn't been such a serious moment. As it was, I could only manage a slight smirk. "Put me down! There's no point in taking me with you. Can't you see I'm dying?"

Jenyin stopped and stared at me. "No, you're not." He said it as if he was trying not so much to convince me as to convince himself.

"Yes, I am. My spine is broken, I can't feel anything below my waist, and I've destroyed at least one vital organ. So put me down already." I was surprised as he was at the words flowing so easily from my mouth. I wished I could feel as lighthearted at that moment as I sounded.

He didn't move, but tears welled up in his eyes.

I threw Prymax a pleading glance. "Prymax, get this crybaby to put me down before he gets salt water in my wounds!"

Prymax looked at me for a moment – a little shocked, I think, at my light treatment of death - and then nodded. "Jenyin."

Jenyin lowered me down gently. "Thanks." Suddenly, I felt very tired. Realizing I didn't have much time left, I got down to the point.

"Here. Take this…" I groped at my belt for my lightsaber, and then remembered that Anakin – no, I had to remind myself, Anakin was gone now - _he_ had thrown it somewhere. Prymax knew what I was searching for, and, with a flick of his wrist, summoned it from wherever it had been thrown. He put it in my hand.

I wrapped my fingers around the cool metal, closed my eyes briefly...

…And handed it back to him, using what was left of my force energy to clip it onto his belt next to his own lightsaber. "It's yours now," I said in a voice that was weakening by the second. "With what you're going against, you'll need all the extra help you can get. Take good care of it for me." I managed another weak smile.

Prymax looked down at his boots for a moment, and then laid his right hand on my lightsaber. "Meraven…"

He looked up. His face was the most emotional I'd ever seen it as; he looked as if he might cry. "_Aliit ori'shya taldin._ Family is more than blood." He knelt down and placed a hand on my shoulder; "_Vod'ika. Mandokarla_."

From what I knew of Mandalorians, they put great emphasis on family. By calling me his _vod'ika_, his little sister, he placed me within his clan, an honor that was not to be taken lightly. And he called me _Mandokarla_, meaning I had what it took to be a Mandalorian. It was, to him, the ultimate honor for me, and I was touched, knowing how unemotional the Kiffar was.

I didn't quite know how I should respond; "Thank you," was all I could manage.

"Take care of Reyzeb for me, and tell her I said hello – or goodbye…" I faltered, wondering how Reyzeb would take it. How would she cope with my death?

Then, on a more practical note; "Try to get off-planet as soon as possible. See if you can find any other Jedi survivors." I was thinking about Obi-wan.

I paused and shut my eyes for a moment, trying to think of something appropriate for a dying person to say. Nothing came up, so I just spoke what was weighing on my mind at the moment: namely, my former friend. "Anakin…there's still good left in him. The old Anakin's there, buried deep within this… this new Sith. Don't forget that. If you see him again, try to find him for me…" My voice dwindled to a whisper. Nothing I was saying made any sense to my ears. Was this what happened when you died?

I looked at my two friends. Jenyin, tears running down his cheeks, was trying in vain not to cry. Prymax remained dry-eyed, but who knew what was going on behind those eyes? His face was like stone; lacking emotion.

"You should leave now," I said. "Before someone finds you." Prymax nodded curtly, and walked over to the unconscious Reyzeb. I heard him mutter another curse as he lifted her up and carried her to a speeder. Jenyin stayed with me for another moment before Prymax called to him.

"Jenyin, come on!"

Jenyin still didn't move. "You really ought to listen to Prymax," I told him quietly. He bit his lip, nodded, and walked reluctantly away.

"And guys?" I called out, just as Jenyin was climbing into the speeder. Both he and Prymax turned to look at me.

"May the Force be with you." My voice choked up, as I looked with eyes blurred by tears at my friends for the last time.

There was a moment of silence, and then Prymax turned on the speeder. I heard him mutter these words as he turned his face to the hangar door,

"_Re'turcye mhi…"_ Goodbye.

He took a breath, and then smiled through the tears that now streamed openly down his face, "_Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la._"

There was the sound of the engine warming up, a brief glare of headlights, and then they disappeared into the coming dawn.

Remembering all these happenings of the last couple hours, I smiled slightly as death froze my features and darkness overcame me. Somewhere out there, Prymax, Jenyin, and Reyzeb lived. There was still hope for the galaxy. My death would not be in vain. Prymax's words echoed in my head, "_Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la. _Not gone, merely marching far away."

I took my last breath and remembered. _There is no death, there is the Force…_


End file.
